Pressure accumulator

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the art of pressure vessels and more particularly to a pressure accumulator of the type having a deformable bladder positioned in a container having a mouth with a closure plug positioned therein, the latter mounting an annular resilient member having a sealing portion integral with a supporting portion for the bladder, the latter being coaxial with the fluid port of the accumulator.

I United States Patent 11H 3,593,747

[72] Inventor JICQIIQS l'l- Mt 'dfl 3.3l9,658 5/1967 Mercier r r i H 138/30 501 Bloomfield Ave.. Caldwell, NJ. 07006 3,379,2l6 4/1968 Mercier H 138/30 [2|] Appl. No 760,335 3,433,268 3/1969 Greer r. 138/30 1 Filed v FOREIGN PATENTS Pmmc 269.583 8/1966 Australia 138/80 Primary Examiner- Dorsey Newton (54] PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR Att0rneyArthur B. Colvin 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[ Cl l38/30 ABSTRACT: This invention relates to the art of pressure vesl l 55/00 sels and more particularly to a pressure accumulator of the l l 38/30 type having a deformable bladder positioned in a container having a mouth with a closure plug positioned therein, the [$6] Reknnm (med latter mounting an annular resilient member having a sealing UNITED STATES PATENTS portion integral with a supporting portion for the bladder, the 2,936,787 5/1960 Mercier 138/30 latter being coaxial with the fluid port ofthe accumulator tta PRESSURE ACCUMULATOR It is among the objects ofthe invention to provide a pressure accumulator of the type comprising a rigid container having a gas port at one end and a mouth at the other end in which a closure plug having an axial opening is mounted, a deformable bladder being positioned in said container with its mouth secured to said gas port, resilient means being provided to afford a dependable seal between the closure plug and the container wall and a substantially continuous supporting surface for the bladder without interfering with ready mounting of aid closure plug into the mouth of said container.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are shown one or more of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

FIG. I is a sectional view ofa sealing and supporting ring for a pressure vessel according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a pressure vessel incorporating said ring, and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of another embodiment. Referring now to the drawings, as shown in FIG. 2, the pressure vessel, illustratively a pressure accumulator, comprises a rigid container 10 substantially cylindrical along the a portion of its length, being hemispherical at one end as at [9 and being open at its other end as at H, the end 19 having an axial opening [7 and the end 11 being outwardly flared as at M.

The container I is made of strong material such as steel or aluminum capable of withstanding the pressure to which the unit is subjected in use. Secured in opening 17 is a nipple 20 to which a source of gas under pressure may be connected and which mounts a lock nut 21 and a closure cap 22. The inner end 20' of nipple 20 is secured in conventional manner to the mouth of a deformableseparator 23.

The separator 23 which illustratively is a bladder of natural or synthetic rubber, divides the interior of container into two chambers 24, 25 to be charged with gas and oil respectively.

Positioned in the mouth ll of container 10 is a cylindrical closure plug 12 externally threaded at its outer end as at 16'. The plug 12 is of reduced diameter inwardly ofits outer end as at 12' defining an annular shoulder 120 which forms a seat for the flared end 14 of mouth 11, said end 14 being retained against shoulder 120 by nut screwed on threaded portion 16.

The closure plug 12 is of further reduced diameter at its inner end as at 30', defining an annular shoulder 30a the inner surface 12b of said plug having an annular flange 3| spaced from the inner surface it] of container [0 to form an annular groove 30.

The closure plug 12 has an axial bore 13 which is internally threaded to receive a suitable fitting (not shown) and which serves as the fluid port of the unit. The inner end of bore 13 is desirably beveled as shown and has an annular groove [3' in which is positioned the periphery of a perforated wall or screen 32, the latter having a concave inner surface.

Although the screen may be formed integral with the plug [2 when the latter is cast, it is of course possible to mount the screen to the plug in any other suitable manner.

Mounted on said closure plug [2 and positioned in container 10 is a sealing and supporting ring 26 of resilient material such as natural or synthetic rubber.

As shown in F lG. I, the resilient ring 26 has portion 28 substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle in cross section which forms a supporting member for the bladder 23, and a portion 27 of circular cross section which forms a sealing member. The portion 27 is connected by a relatively thin web 29 to the triangular portion 28 at the apex of the latter defined by the sidewalls 28', 28" thereof.

The sealing member 27 of ring 26 is positioned in the annular groove 30 in plug 12, with side 28' ofthe triangular supporting member 28 resting on the inner surface 12b of plug 12 and the sidewall 28" positioned against the sidewall 18 of con' tainer I0. Web 29 extends loosely in the annular space which is formed between flange 31 and wall 18.

The base 28a of triangular member 28 defines a beveled support for the bladder 23 and the inner periphery of the base has an annular lip 26' which extends over the beveled inner end of bore 13 to the immediate vicinity of screen 32 to prevent cutting of the bladder by the edge of annular groove 12' when the bladder is fully expanded in operation.

To assemble the accumulator after the bladder is secured in the gas port 17, the sealing portion 27 of ring 26 is positioned in annular groove 30 snugly to encompass the reduced diameter portion 30'. As a result, the wall 28' of the triangular supporting portion 28 will seat on the inner surface 12b of plug 12.

Thereupon, the plug 12 and ring 26 are moved into the tubular mouth I], the flared end 14 facilitating such assembly and the nut I5 is screwed onto the threaded portion 16 to complete the assembly.

Due to the fact that the sealing portion 27 of ring 26 is snugly positioned in groove 30, such portion 27 will remain in position and by reason of the connection of the triangular supporting portion 28 to scaling portion 27 by web 29, such supporting portion 28 will also remain in position.

In operation of the pressure accumulator, the bladder 23 is charged with gas under pressure and thereupon, a fluid such as oil under pressure is forced through port 13 to compress the charged bladder 23. A valve (not shown) controlling port 13 is then closed and the accumulator is then used in conventional manner.

Due to the resilient member 28, a firm support will be provided for the bladder upon expansion thereof in use. The sealing portion 27 will prevent leakage of oil from chamber 25 due to the differential pressures existing on opposed thereof.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is substantially identical to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 except that a deformable washer 33 is positioned on shoulder 30a of annular groove 30 to compensate for tolerances between the diameter of plug 12 and that of mouth I].

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A pressure vessel comprising a container of rigid material having a cylindrical mouth at one end and a port at its other end, a deformable bladder positioned in said container and secured to said port for charging of said bladder with gas under pressure, a cylindrical plug having an axial fluid port, positioned in said mouth, with the inner end of said plug positioned in said container, means retaining said plug in position, said plug having a peripheral annular groove near its inner end, the periphery of said inner end being slightly spaced from the wall of said container, a resilient sealing and supporting ring encompassing said plug and coaxial with said axial port to prevent leakage of fluid from said container and to support said bladder upon expansion thereof, said ring having a sealing portion substantially circular in cross section positioned in said annular groove and a supporting portion substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle having one of its walls seated on the inner end of said plug, the other of its walls seated against the wall of said container and its base tapering from the container wall to substantially the periphery of the axial port in said plug, and a web extending through the space between the inner end of said plug and the container wall, connecting the sealing portion and the supporting portion.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a perforated plate extends across the axial fluid port in said plug adjacent its inner end and said base of said supporting portion of said ring has its inner periphery extending to the outer periphery of said plate to provide a substantially continuous surface for said bladder upon expansion thereof.

3 The combination set forth in claim l in which the mouth end abuts and means releasable to retain said flared end against said shoulder.

4 The combination set forth in claim I in which a deformable washer is positioned in said annular groove on the side has an outwardly flared end, said plug has a reduced diameter 5 thereof opposed m inner end of said P gportion defining an annular shoulder against which said flared 

1. A pressure vessel comprising a container of rigid material having a cylindrical mouth at one end and a port at its other end, a deformable bladder positioned in said container and secured to said port for charging of said bladder with gas under pressure, , a cylindrical plug Having an axial fluid port, positioned in said mouth, with the inner end of said plug positioned in said container, means retaining said plug in position, said plug having a peripheral annular groove near its inner end, the periphery of said inner end being slightly spaced from the wall of said container, a resilient sealing and supporting ring encompassing said plug and coaxial with said axial port to prevent leakage of fluid from said container and to support said bladder upon expansion thereof, said ring having a sealing portion substantially circular in cross section positioned in said annular groove and a supporting portion substantially in the form of an isosceles triangle having one of its walls seated on the inner end of said plug, the other of its walls seated against the wall of said container and its base tapering from the container wall to substantially the periphery of the axial port in said plug, and a web extending through the space between the inner end of said plug and the container wall, connecting the sealing portion and the supporting portion.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a perforated plate extends across the axial fluid port in said plug adjacent its inner end and said base of said supporting portion of said ring has its inner periphery extending to the outer periphery of said plate to provide a substantially continuous surface for said bladder upon expansion thereof.
 3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the mouth has an outwardly flared end, said plug has a reduced diameter portion defining an annular shoulder against which said flared end abuts and means releasable to retain said flared end against said shoulder.
 4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a deformable washer is positioned in said annular groove on the side thereof opposed to the inner end of said plug. 